Rangers top prospects, No. 3: 19-year-old RHP with unusual delivery may have makings of front-end starter

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FILE - Rangers pitcher Hans Crouse competed for Team USA at the 2016 COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships in Mexico. Crouse was selected by the Rangers in the second round of the 2017 MLB draft. (Courtesy/Texas Rangers)

The eighth in a series by staff writer Gerry Fraley reviewing the top 10 prospects in the Texas Rangers' organization. To qualify, a player must have his rookie status: fewer than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the majors and fewer than 45 days on an active roster before Sept. 1.

The combination of pennant-race trades in 2015-16 and graduations to the majors has created an imbalance in the Rangers' player-development system. The majority of the talent is concentrated at the lower levels of the organization. Of the players on this list, eight have not played above the High-A level.

General manager Jon Daniels recognized that when he sent right-hander Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three prospects. The organization was "not where we want to be and where we'll be very quickly" at the upper levels, Daniels said.

The re-stocking continues this season. A look at the top 10 prospects in the organization going into spring training:

No. 3

Courtesy/Texas Rangers/

FILE - Rangers pitcher Hans Crouse competed for Team USA at the 2016 COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships in Mexico. Crouse was selected by the Rangers in the second round of the 2017 MLB draft. (Courtesy/Texas Rangers)

HANS CROUSE

POSITION: Right-handed pitcher.

SIZE: 6-foot-4, 195 pounds.

OPENING DAY AGE: 19.

HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the second round of the 2017 draft. Received a $1.445 million signing bonus.

WORTH KNOWING: Crouse is represented by Len Strelitz, who in a previous life was a scout with the Rangers. Strelitz also pitched for eight seasons in the St. Louis system. That background has allowed Strelitz to help prepare Crouse for what awaited him in professional baseball and how to harness his emotions on the mound.

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AMATEUR BACKGROUND: Crouse rocketed to prominence with his performance for Team USA against Cuba in the Pan American Baseball Federation under-18 gold medal game in 2016. Crouse had 11 strikeouts and allowed one hit in seven shutout innings in a 7-1 victory. Crouse was a Rawlings-Perfect Game first-team All-American in his senior season at Dana Hills (Calif.) High School.

NOTABLE: Crouse features a high-90s fastball and a sharp slider. He showed signs of an effective changeup in his first pro season. Crouse has an unusual delivery that includes a violent cross-body finish. Crouse dominated the rookie-level Arizona League in his first professional season. In 20 innings, Crouse allowed only seven hits and had 30 strikeouts. Right-handed hitters were 4 for 41 with 18 strikeouts against him. The Rangers limited Crouse to two innings or fewer in all but one of his appearances. He concluded the Arizona season with a three-inning appearance.

NEXT STOP: With the Rangers being extra careful in their handling of high school pitchers, Crouse likely will stay in extended spring training until the start of the short-season A Northwest League.

PROJECTION: If the changeup comes around, Crouse will have enough resources to be a front-end starter. He will need at least three more seasons in the minors for development. If the Rangers want to get Crouse to the majors before that, they could use him as a power reliever.